Fontanafredda Pradalupo Roero Arneis 2020 (Piedmont) - Wine Review

Following up on the lovely 2019 Fontanafredda Gavi di Gavi that I enjoyed last May, tonight's white wine review is another delicious Italian white wine from the same producer. This wine is made with the Arneis variety and arrives at the LCBO this weekend as part of the May 21 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Fontanafredda was founded in 1858 by the first King of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II, when he purchased the estate for the woman he loved - Rosa Vercellana. Although Fontanafredda is a large Piedmontese producer (known mostly for their Barolo) making fine wines from the most important DOC and DOCG of Piedmont, they are artisans who promote interaction between the vine, soil, and the hand of man.

There were many accomplishments over the years, including several firsts for the region, but the big change happened after 77 years when Fontanafredda returned to Piedmontese ownership in 2008 when Oscar Farinetti and Luca Baffigo purchased the estate. In 2015, Fontanafredda moved towards sustainability and starting the process of converting all of their vineyards to organic farming with the first certified organic harvest coming three years later.

This Arneis was grown in the Roero DOCG north of Alba in Piedmont, across the Tanaro river from the legendary Barolo and Barbaresco denominations. The vines sit between 200 to 300 metres above sea level and were planted in unique sandy soils that are rich in yellow, calcareous marl. The grapes were hand-harvested with 50% de-stemmed, crushed, and cold macerated, then softly pressed, while the other half is direct pressed. Fermentation occurred at controlled temperatures in stainless steel tanks, followed by another 4 to 5 months ageing on its dregs (or lees). Let's see how this 2020 Roero Arneis is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

FONTANAFREDDA PRADALUPO ROERO ARNEIS 2020 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#577700) (XD) - $18.95
The fragrant, medium-high intensity nose offers lovely lemon citrus, white floral, white peach, and hay aromas with subtle leesy, herbal, and flor notes adding further complexity and interest. There's very good weight and concentration on the crunchy, medium-full bodied, dry, and slightly oily palate with citrusy, white peach, herbal, hay, and leesy flavour replays, plus apple in a honeyed profile. Acids are fresh and juicy, while honeysuckle, citrus, white peach, and leesy notes linger on the long, juicy finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

You can explore other lovely wines by Fontanafredda as they are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Dandurand.

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May 21, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Rosé

With warmer weather arriving, that usually means the return of many refreshing rosé wines at the LCBO. As such, the theme of the long weekend's May 21, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release is rosé wines. Also included in the magazine is a sneak preview of the June Online Exclusives. Wines from the May 21st release should be on shelves across Ontario by this Saturday, if not a day or two earlier.

We begin with the theme on rosé wines, which are not only ideal for summer drinking, but can also be enjoyed year-round. Of the fourteen wines listed as part of the theme, four are included among my top rosé wine picks and all are dry rosés from France. We start in the east in Provence with the Whispering Angel that is made with Grenache, Cinsault, and Rolle (Vermentino), while the AIX is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault. Moving westward into Rhône is the Tavel (which is one of the Wines of the Month) that consists of mainly Grenache, Clairette, and Syrah, but typically also includes other red and white varieties. Lastly, moving southwest is the rosé from Languedoc that consists of roughly 60% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, and 10% Syrah.

My red wine recommendations includes the other Wine of the Month - a delicious Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon. French red wine blends include a fine red from Bordeaux that is made with 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Rhône red that is primarily Grenache with Syrah and Mourvèdre in support. Staying in France, the wine from Roussillon is a blend of 40% Grenache, 40% Syrah, and 20% Mourvèdre, while the Beaujolais is crafted with 100% Gamay. From Italy, the Valpolicella consists of 35% Corvina, 35% Corvinone, 20% Rondinella, and 10% Rossignola / Oseleta / Negrara / Dindarella, while the Riserva Chianti Classico is 100% Sangiovese. And lastly, the red wine from Argentina is a blend of 55% Malbec, 19% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah, 2% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc.

Among my white wine picks, the only blend is the Côtes du Rhône Blanc that consists of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier. Single varietal wines include a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, as well as the Fumé Blanc from Niagara that is a barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc. There's also a fine, dry Riesling from Niagara, a concentrated Pinot Grigio from Friuli, an Arneis from Piedmont, and a Chablis which is, of course, made with Chardonnay. The only wine with any kind of sweetness is the off-dry Gewurztraminer from Alsace.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• TEDESCHI CAPITEL NICALÒ VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE 2019 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#984997) (XD) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
• XAVIER VIGNON CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2020 - AP, France (#297317) (XD) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
• SAN PEDRO 1865 SELECTED VINEYARDS CARMENÈRE 2020 - DO Valle de Maule, Chile (#249201) (XD) - $19.95
• WAKEFIELD ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Clare Valley/Limestone Coast, South Australia (#744235) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• BLEASDALE MULBERRY TREE LANGHORNE CREEK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - South Australia (#661892) (XD) - $19.95
• ARBOLEDA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - DO Valle del Aconcagua, Chile (#606764) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review

• TESSELLAE OLD VINES GRENACHE / SYRAH / MOURVÈDRE 2019 - AP Côtes du Roussillon, Midi, France (#343517) (XD) - $19.95
• PASCAL AUFRANC VIGNES DE 1939 CHÉNAS 2018 - AC, Beaujolais, France (#329987) (XD) - $20.95
• CLOS DE LOS SIETE 2018 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#622571) (XD) - $25.95  90+ pts  wine review
• HEWITSON NED & HENRY'S SHIRAZ 2019 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#54221) (XD) - $29.95
• L'ORME DE RAUZAN-GASSIES 2016 - AC Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux, France (#24211) (XD) - $35.95
• CASTELLO DI BOSSI BERARDO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2016 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#113316) (XD) - $38.95  93 pts  wine review

White Wine:

• FAMILLE PERRIN RÉSERVE CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2020 - AC, France (#499509) (XD) - $15.95
• FONTANAFREDDA PRADALUPO ROERO ARNEIS 2020 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#577700) (XD) $18.95  90 pts  wine review
• PIERRE SPARR GRANDE RÉSERVE GEWURZTRAMINER 2020 - AC Alsace, France (#747600) (D) - $19.95
• VILLA MARIA CELLAR SELECTION SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 - Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#974527) (XD) - $21.95
• DOMAINE LE VERGER CHABLIS 2019 - AC, Burgundy, France (#181289) (XD) - $26.95
• HIDDEN BENCH FUMÉ BLANC 2019 - Rosomel Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#68825) (XD) - $29.95
• CAVE SPRING CSV RIESLING 2019 - Cave Spring Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#566026) (XD) - $29.95  93 pts  wine review
• JERMANN PINOT GRIGIO 2020 - DOC Friuli, Italy (#12812) (XD) - $36.95  92 pts  wine review

Rosé Wine:

• GÉRARD BERTRAND CÔTE DES ROSES ROSÉ 2021 - AP Languedoc, France (#373985) (XD) - $18.95
• SAINT AIX ROSÉ 2021 - AP Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence, France (#451906) (XD) - $24.95
• CHÂTEAU D'AQUÉRIA TAVEL 2021 - AC, Rhône, France (#319368) (XD) - $24.95  91+ pts  wine review
• CAVES D'ESCLANS WHISPERING ANGEL ROSÉ 2021 - AC Côtes de Provence, France (#325076) (XD) - $28.95

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Xavier Vignon Côtes du Rhône 2020 (France) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is this lovely, organic Côtes du Rhône that I've had the pleasure of enjoying on a couple of occasions over the last few years. The latest edition of this Rhône red will arrive in stores at the LCBO this weekend as part of the May 21st LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Xavier Vignon, a man who started out as an consultant oenologist in 1996 in a laboratory in Vaucluse for 30+ cellars. Originally of Picardie in the North of France, he followed his passions of music and natural sciences and landed in Champagne to study in the faculty of pharmacy in Reims. A chance encounter with an oenologist while studying and Xavier caught the wine bug. He applied to the French National Diploma of Oenology and gained valuable experience working at several Champagne houses. Xavier worked several harvests across the globe, found mentors, and eventually settled in the southern Rhône Valley in 1996. He was amazed by the variety of terroirs and cultivars across the southern Rhône Valley and gained a reputation as a slightly mad consultant with innovative techniques.

In 1999, Xavier began producing artisanal cuvees from his garage for his friends. One of his friends secretly took his wines and submitted them to Guide Hachette where they received critical acclaim. In 2002, he started creating his own wines under the Xavier Vins label. Today, Xavier Vignon's two fundamental values are the love for a job well done and the capacity to transmit knowledge. He bottles wines under his own name and is known as a Terroir Hunter and Master Blender. With respect for the environment, Xavier's wines are the result of a scientific background, a great deal of experience, confidence in others, total involvement, exchange of knowledge, and shared pleasure.

My last full review of this wine was the 2017 Xavier Vignon Côtes du Rhône that I enjoyed three summers ago. This organic red wine continues to be a blend of primarily Grenache, with Syrah and Mourvèdre in support. The Grenache comes from 80-year-old vines, the Syrah from 45-year-old vines, and the Mourvèdre is from 60-year-old vines. The grapes were grown on Galets roulés (rolled pebbles), sands, clay, and limestone soils located mostly in the northern part of the Vaucluse and altitude parcels. Manually harvested, the grapes were fermented at moderate temperatures to favour soft diffusion of flavour compounds, and aged in concrete tanks for a short period of time. With a generally dry, sunny growing season, the 2020 vintage promises to be a very good year. Let's see how this 2020 Côtes du Rhône is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

XAVIER VIGNON CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2020 - AP, France (#297317) (XD) - $17.95
This organic wine is primarily Grenache with Syrah and Mourvèdre in support, aged in concrete tanks, and has a clean, fragrant, mineral-inflected nose layered with ripe black, blueberry, and violet aromas with meaty and dried herbal touches. On the medium-full bodied palate it is ripe and slightly warming, yet balanced, with black-blue-purple fruits, violet, stony mineral, and meaty flavours. Acids are crisp and juicy, while the ripe, supple tannins have some structure and chalky grip. Very good length on the long, savoury, minerally finish. I really like this. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines by Xavier Vignon are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Château d'Aquéria Tavel 2021 (Rhône) - Wine Review

Tonight's rosé wine review is this refreshingly lovely wine from the Tavel Cru in the southern Rhône Valley that is coming to LCBO VINTAGES on May 21 as the Wine of the Month and featured as part of the theme on rosé wines.

The long and fascinating history of Château d'Aquéria began in 1595 when Louis Joseph d'Aqueria purchased this prime vine-growing area of Tavel known as "Puy Sablonneux" from the monks at the Abbey in Villeneuve les Avignon. His son, Robert d'Aqueria, hereditary Count Palatine, built a home which was transformed in the 18th century into the Château as it stands today. Many families have since owned the Château, cherishing the lands as they honed the art of crafting wine with knowledge of their terroir, the vines, and the fruit of those vines. Today, Aquéria is owned and operated by brothers Bruno and Vincent de Bez. Aquéria has been applying environmentally-friendly winegrowing techniques for over 20 years while also preserving and protecting local floral and fauna. Sustainable agriculture and respect for the environment is part of Aquéria's identity.

The 2021 edition of this lovely Tavel Rosé is a blend of mainly Grenache, Clairette, and Syrah, and typically also includes small amounts of other varietals. The grapes were grown around the Château on sandy-clayey soils which are ideal for producing great rosé wines that are both fruity and complex. The grapes were hand-harvested and de-stemmed, then macerated to extract colour and structure. The varieties were then blended two-by-two to enhance aromatic complexity, then underwent temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel vats. A second blending took place in December before bottling this unoaked rosé.

At Château d'Aquéria, the climate is quintessentially Mediterranean with low rainfall, strong sunshine, and exposure to the Mistral winds. The growing season in 2021 was marked by capricious weather and seasons. Although Château d'Aquéria was spared freeze damage, they did have to be extremely vigilant throughout the season and their efforts were rewarded with a superb vintage in terms of both quality and quantity.

Having enjoyed previous vintages of this rosé, including most recently the 2020 Château d'Aquéria Tavel last May, I would expect this dry rosé to also be quite lovely. Let's see how this 2021 Tavel Rosé is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU D'AQUÉRIA TAVEL 2021 - AC, Rhône, France (#319368) (XD) - $24.95
Blend of mainly Grenache, Clairette, and Syrah, the lovely, medium-high intensity aromatics offer fresh, red fruited aromas of raspberry, strawberry, cherry, and fine mineral notes with hints of citrus and peach. On the dry, medium-full bodied palate it is very nicely balanced with raspberry, cherry, strawberry, currant, mineral, and citrus flavours, plus lightly peppery and herbal notes, all lifted by fresh acidity. Minerally, red fruited, and citrus notes linger on the long, juicy, and crisp finish. I think even better than last year's edition. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91+ pts

Other lovely wines by Château d'Aquéria are available through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Domaine Drouhin Roserock Pinot Noir 2019 (Oregon) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is this beautiful Pinot Noir from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA in Oregon that arrived at the LCBO recently as part of the April 30th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Domaine Drouhin Oregon, a winemaking family whose roots were planted in Burgundy in 1880 when Joseph Drouhin moved from Chablis to Beaune and purchased a wine house that was founded in 1756. Oregon entered the picture when Robert Drouhin, grandson of Joseph, was invited to visit Oregon while on a trip to America's west coast in 1961. Although there were no vineyards in Willamette Valley at the time, Robert was impressed by the natural beauty of the region.

In 1979, a Pinot Noir from Oregon finished in the top 10 in the Gault-Millau Wine Olympiad in Paris. Intrigued by the results, Robert re-staged this tasting at the Drouhin cellars in Beaune, including many of his own Burgundies, in order to better understand the competition from the new world. Amazingly, the same Oregon wine placed 2nd, and only by a very narrow margin.

In 1986, Robert's daughter Véronique came to Oregon after achieving her master's diploma in enology. She worked that first harvest with three Oregon families who were some of the state's founding families of Oregon wine, and her profound first impression help form the bond between the Drouhins and these families. A year later, Robert purchased an exceptional piece of land in Dundee Hills and asked Véronique to be the winemaker, even though there was no vineyard, winery, or equipment. Robert also later asked his son Philippe to be in charge of viticulture. In 1988, Domaine Drouhin Oregon was born with Véronique making wine in a rented space.

Fast forward to 2013 and Roserock continues the Drouhin family's commitment to Oregon as the newest chapter of their story. The extraordinary Roserock vineyard was purchased in 2013 because of its exceptional terroir marked by ancient volcanic soils, cooler temperatures due to the Van Duzer corridor, and an ideal elevation range. The 279 acre site is located at the southern tip of the Eola-Amity Hills in Oregon's Willamette Valley, and is planted to 122 acres of vines. This vineyard produces classic cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir - both of which I've had the opportunity to taste in past and both were lovely.

This Pinot Noir is a cuvée selection from the estate's 35 Pinot Noir blocks at the Roserock vineyard. The grapes were hand-picked, sorted, and individually fermented. Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir wines are typically known for their structure and power, however, winemaker Véronique Boss-Drouhin has crafted this Pinot to emphasize elegance and refinement, yet also age-worthy. Let's see how this 2019 Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir from Oregon is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

DOMAINE DROUHIN ROSEROCK PINOT NOIR 2019 - Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#529107) (XD) - $42.95
The fragrant, medium-high to highly aromatic nose offers lovely aromas of sweet, ripe red cherry, raspberry, and currant joined by strawberry, subtle wood spice, and touches of smoky minerality laying underneath. It's medium+ bodied and crunchy with an elegant, lightly structured mouthfeel and lovely ripe, red cherry, raspberry, strawberry, and currant flavours flecked with savoury, smoky minerals in a harmonious profile. Acids are fresh and juicy, while the tannins are smooth, refined, and lightly structured. Savoury and minerally with touches of smoke lingering on the finish, with excellent length. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92+ pts

Other fine wines by Domaine Drouhin are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Dandurand.

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May 12, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Online Exclusives

The first full Online Exclusives Release is on May 12, 2022. All of these wines can be purchased online only on lcbo.com starting on Thursday. There is no theme to this collection of 41 wines, of which a dozen are included among my top wine picks, but there is a strong contingent of New Zealand wines with almost half of my recommendations coming from the South Pacific island nation.

From New Zealand, the only North Island wine is a Syrah from Hawke's Bay. From the South Island in Waipara, there are two wines from the same producer - Pinot Noit and a Chardonnay. There is also an intriguing 2015 Grüner Veltliner from Marlborough, and a Sauvignon Blanc from Lake Wanaka in Central Otago.

Red wines from the rest of the release include Pinot Noir wines from Niagara and Chile, a Malbec from Cahors, a 2015 Montepulciano from Abruzzo, and lastly, a Nebbiolo from Piedmont. White wines include a lovely blend of 72% Semillon and 28% Sauvignon Blanc from Niagara, while the Rhone-white blend from California consists of 44% Viognier, 29% Marsanne, 19% Grenache Blanc, and 8% Roussanne.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CHÂTEAU VINCENS ORIGINE MALBEC 2017 - AC Cahors, Southwest, France (#343400) (XD) - $19.95
• MIRAFIORE NEBBIOLO 2019 - DOC Langhe, Piedmont, Italy (#25524) (XD) - $24.95  90 pts  wine review
• FANTINI COLLINE TERAMANE MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2015 - DOCG, Abruzzo, Italy (#26195) (XD) - $27.95
• ELEPHANT HILL SYRAH 2018 - Hawke's Bay, North Island, New Zealand (#408633) (XD) - $29.95
• BAETTIG VINO DE VIÑEDO LOS PARIENTES PINOT NOIR 2020 - DO Traiguén, Valle del Malleco, Chile (#23083) (XD) - $33.95
• MUDDY WATER PINOT NOIR 2018 - Waipara, South Island, New Zealand (#19622) (XD) - $39.95
• BACHELDER WISMER-PARKE PINOT NOIR 2019 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#520379) (XD) - $44.95

White Wine:

• CREEKSIDE ICONOCLAST SEMILLON / SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#520627) (XD) - $23.00  91 pts  wine review
• BLANK CANVAS GRÜNER VELTLINER 2015 - Sustainable, Berakah Vineyard, Rapaura, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#22874) (XD) - $31.95
• RIPPON SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 - Lake Wanaka, Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand (#17588) (XD) - $32.95
• TABLAS CREEK CÔTES DE TABLAS BLANC 2019 - Adelaida District, Paso Robles, California, USA (#36616) (XD) - $36.95
• MUDDY WATER CHARDONNAY 2018 - Waipara, South Island, New Zealand (#19618) (XD) - $39.95

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3Q Umbria Rosso 2018 (Italy) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a delicious red wine from Italy that comes in eco-friendly packaging. The world's first paper wine bottle was launched at the LCBO in March and is widely available across Ontario.

The wine is produced by Cantina Goccia. It was founded 15 years ago and borne out of the pure love of Umbria and its unrecognized potential as a superb wine producing area deep in the heart of Italy when they transformed an unloved vineyard into an award-winning producer of outstanding wines. With a focus on tradition, quality, and innovation, Cantina Goccia is proud to be the very first vineyard to use the Frugal Bottle, the world's first paper wine bottle.

Packaged by Frugalpac, the outer shell of this "bottle" is made with 94% recycled cardboard, which is 5 times lighter than a glass bottle, making it easier to carry and transport. I can attest that this bottle is quite light, and helps reduce its carbon footprint, which is already 84% less than glass and 1/3 less than 100% plastic. To keep the wine inside safe, it uses a food-grade liner. To recycle, simply split the bottle, remove the liner, and recycle the paper shell.

Tasting Note:

3Q UMBRIA ROSSO 2018 - IGT Umbria, Italy (#22878) (XD) - $16.95
Screw cap. This unoaked blend of 60% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Merlot has a medium-high intensity nose that is spicy and perfumed with red and black fruit, blackberry, currant, cassis, plum, and herbs with chocolate and wet earth tones. It's medium-full bodied on the ripe, dry, and fruity palate with plummy, red and black cherry, currant, herbs, and savoury earth flavours. Fresh acids and supple, grainy textured tannins offer a pleasing mouthfeel, while earthy and chocolate notes with a slight tang linger on the finish, with very good length. Recommended buy for the juice and commendable packaging! Score: 88 pts

Other wines by Cantina Goccia can be ordered through their Agent - DB Wine & Spirits.

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